A conventional information carrier stores data concerning hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, etc, in text form. Such data can be retrieved by the user and optically displayed (Operating Instructions MERIAN scout, Editorial Office MERIAN scout, Grxc3xa4fe und Unzer Verlag GmbH, Munich). Data in other than pure text form are not made available.
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an information carrier is provided that has the advantage that, particularly in addition to the text data, further data in multimedia form are stored on the information carrier, that is, in the form of images, image sequences, films, sound and music documents or in mixtures of these forms. Thereby, the user can inform himself far more broadly about special objects along the travel route or at the travel destination without using additional material such as a travel guide. Special objects having touristic meaning may be included such as hotels, restaurants, theaters, museums, churches, natural monuments, special buildings, such as palaces and castles, parks, spas and lakes.
It is also of advantage that the data on the special objects are output according to criteria defined by the user. Thus, the user can pause and inform himself on objects down the road. The targeted search is made possible by the fact that at least one generic term has been assigned to the data on the special objects. Generic term here includes, for example, a category such as xe2x80x9chotelxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmuseumxe2x80x9d, which can be made more specific by subdivisions such as xe2x80x9chotelxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9c2-starxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmuseumxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cmodern artxe2x80x9d. In case of a vehicle defect, for instance, it can be made possible for the user to inform himself about the position and appearance of the next repair garage.
It is also of advantage that the data can be output automatically, depending on vehicle position. Because this makes the search effort unnecessary, this relieves the user, so that he can inform himself especially during music and sound documents, even while traveling. Additional data do not have to be searched for, so that, on the one hand, objects are pointed out to the user which he did not know before. On the other hand, since the user can predefine limiting criteria, as for instance the maximum distance or a generic term, such as xe2x80x9chotelxe2x80x9d, he can limit the output to data important for him.
It is also of advantage that data on operating the motor vehicle and its components may be stored on the information carrier. In particular, these may be pointers in case of a vehicle defect which can be recalled automatically when the corresponding error occurs. For the output of these data, the acoustical and/or optical output of the navigational device, in which the information carrier is inserted, can be jointly used.
It is furthermore of advantage that the navigational device may call up the special objects according to predefinable criteria via radio data. Data are transmitted from the service control point to the navigational device via a downlink channel. These data can be updated by the service control point. Furthermore, no memory space is needed for permanent storage in the navigational device.
Beyond that, it is of advantage that the navigational device has available an uplink channel. In particular, it is possible, via the uplink channel, to request additional and/or updated data transmitted via the downlink channel. These data can especially become the basis for changing the selected travel route for a relevant reason. In this connection, addresses, especially Internet or www addresses may already be stored on the information carrier.
Furthermore, it is advantageous that a reservation can be made via the uplink channel and a confirmation of the reservation can be made via the downlink channel, because this makes it possible for the user, for instance, upon display of an objectxe2x80x94for example of a restaurant or a theaterxe2x80x94to reserve a table or admission tickets.
It is also advantageous that data retrievable by radio can be supplemented in multimedia form by data stored on an information carrier. This makes it possible to limit data transmission to current dataxe2x80x94for example, occupancy of a hotelxe2x80x94whilst memory-intensive dataxe2x80x94for instance, a photo of the hotelxe2x80x94are available in the information carrier.
Besides a device for playing an information carrier which contains, in particular, the purely navigational data, a second device for playing an information carrier can be connected to the navigational system on which only the additional information is stored. This offers the advantage of being able to cover a larger map area, using both information carriers, for which navigational and additional data have been made available.
It is further advantageous that the sound output takes place over the automobile radio, because in that manner, an additional sound output is saved in the navigational system.
The implementation of the uplink and downlink channels via a GSM connection, or the implementation of a downlink channel via a DAB connection, offer the advantage that a mobile phone, possibly available in the vehicle, which has available a GSM connection, can be used jointly. A joint use is likewise possible if a videophone is present, in case the uplink and/or the downlink channel is implemented by a videophone connection.